


Choice and consequence

by fromthedeskoftheraven



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Battle of Five Armies, Battle of Five Armies Fix-It, F/M, Female Friendship, Kissing, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 14:04:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6082152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthedeskoftheraven/pseuds/fromthedeskoftheraven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thranduil's love hides their courtship from her best friend, Tauriel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Choice and consequence

Your expression was troubled as you stood just outside your tent, overlooking the camp of war that had spread like a creeping vine across the valley in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain. The bustling activity of the day had waned as darkness fell, and now only the occasional silhouette flitted black across the glow of campfires and lantern-lit tents. Most of your fellow Eldar had retired to their shelters, awaiting dawn and the order to attack the small but tenacious company of dwarves in their stronghold.

Movement caught your eye, and you looked to see him walking toward you, the drape of his dark robe appearing shroudlike, his pale blond hair silvery in the light of the moon. Wordlessly, you turned to enter your tent again, letting him catch its flap as it made to fall closed behind you, and he followed you inside. Though he stood close to you, he made no move to touch you, and you faced each other in a heavy, appraising silence.

“How do you fare, _meleth nín_?” he asked quietly, at last.

You sighed, giving a small shake of your head. “I do not know what you would have me say, Thranduil.”

“You grieve Tauriel’s absence.”

“Of course. She is as a sister to me.”

He nodded, running his slender fingers along the edge of the small table beside him. “Am I a fool to hope for your forgiveness?”

“My forgiveness will not change what has happened.”

“You know I would never choose to hurt you,” he said, an edge of bitterness creeping into his voice. “Kings are often forced to make difficult decisions.”

“And this decision has robbed me of my dearest friend,” you answered reproachfully.

Thranduil was silent for a moment, unable to meet your gaze. Finally, his proud, beautiful face looking suddenly weary and careworn, he gently took your hands in his. “I am truly sorry.” He pressed your fingers penitently to his lips before looking into your eyes. “Whatever else you may believe of me, _meleth_ , never doubt my love for you.” He released your hands, and with a last, pensive look, turned and left the tent.

Alone, you lay on your cot, thinking of the last time you had seen Tauriel, your last conversation, wishing with all of your heart that you might have dissuaded her from her reckless plan instead of standing by, watching her prepare to leave…forever, if Thranduil’s decree stood.

_“Where are you going?”  
_

_Her face was determined as she strapped on her bow and sword. “I’m going to help them. Help him.”_

_“The dwarf?” you asked incredulously._

_“His name is Kili,” she replied distractedly, adding arrows to her quiver. “The Morgul shaft already does its work…if I cannot find them, he will not live to see another sunrise.”  
_

_“Perhaps if we speak to the King…” you began timidly, but Tauriel interrupted you with a bitter laugh.  
_

_“Do you imagine that two of his guards can compel Thranduil to concern for the welfare of a dwarf? I have seen his indifference, his heartlessness. He will do nothing, save condemn me to be shut away inside these walls while Kili meets a cruel death.”  
_

_“Have care how you speak,_ mellon _, he is your King,” you said softly, your heart burdened with the secret you carried, the courtship of which none knew but the two lovers, “and he is not so unkind as you suppose.”_

_“You are always seeing the good in people,” she marveled, and with a fond look, she embraced you tightly. “Be well,_ mellon nín _, until we meet again,” she whispered, gave you a bracing nod, and she was gone._  

Gone. Banished. As though she had disappeared from the face of the earth.

Suddenly you found that you could no longer stand to be mournful and alone in the bleak darkness, and you regretted Thranduil’s leaving, craving the unshakeable solace of his presence. Almost before the thought had fully formed, you were on your feet, slipping on your shoes and escaping into the night, the chill air biting through the light fabric of your nightdress. 

When you crept into his tent, shivering, Thranduil started up in surprise where he reclined on his own lushly draped and cushioned cot. You went silently to the haven of his arms, and he welcomed you, grateful, understanding as only he could. He curled his lithe body around yours, holding you close to his chest, tucking your head under his chin, and you relaxed into his embrace as the warm breath of his sigh stirred your hair. Tonight, he would hold you, comfort you, protect you. No one could say what tomorrow might bring, but tonight, you belonged to each other, a secret and unlikely joining of hearts.

* * *

The battle raged, and your people had suffered heavy casualties. As you hurried through the streets of the abandoned, crumbling city, you avoided looking closely at the bodies scattered around you, their lives spilled scarlet on the snowy ground. You had volunteered to look for Thranduil, ostensibly to seek orders, but in reality driven by a fierce need to know that he was safe.

Rounding a corner, you caught a glimpse of him. His armor gleamed in the pale sunlight where he stood in a narrow passage, and just as you rushed through an overgrown alley toward him, relief lightening your steps, a familiar voice rang out, contemptuous.

“You think your life is worth more than theirs, when there is no love in it? _There is_ _no love in you_.”

You emerged onto the path to see Tauriel facing Thranduil in defiance, her bow raised, an arrow poised threateningly on the string. He stared at her, astonished, his blue eyes flashing with outrage, and your stomach lurched as you acted on sheer instinct to throw yourself forward to stand between them.

Tauriel’s eyes widened with shock, and Thranduil visibly tensed at the sight of you standing at the arrow’s point, flinging out his open hand behind him to halt the group of elves edging forward with hands on their sword hilts.

“ _Mellon_ , what are you doing?” Tauriel cried, her grip on the bow faltering. “Get out of the way!”

“Tauriel, listen to me,” you held out your hands with palms forward, imploring. “You cannot do this. Would you bear upon yourself the curse of kinslaying?”

She paled, but her hands tightened again on her bow. “I will do what I must.”

“Please, Tauriel, I beg you not to harm him,” you pleaded in a trembling voice. “If you will not stay your arrow for your own sake, will you do it for mine?”

The shadow of a question flickered across her face, and you felt Thranduil step forward, close behind you, his hands carefully clasping your shoulders.

“Tauriel. Enough,” his voice was low and calm, but commanding, and he addressed you next. “Stand aside, _meleth_.”

Tauriel’s eyes were instantly riveted to yours, and the bow was lowered, forgotten, at her side. “What does he call you?” Her disbelief turned to betrayal as your silence confirmed her fears. “ _This_ is the one you love?”

“I wished to tell you,” you answered miserably, “but I feared you would not understand.”

“You are right,” she spat, “I do not understand! How can it be that you should love one whose heart is made of stone?”

“Tauriel…” you began, but a frantic note was rising in her voice.

“Kili is going to die, because he turns his back on them. Kili will die, and it will be upon his head!” She pointed an accusing finger at Thranduil, her face crumpling in helpless grief. Her anguish tore at your heart, and with a deep breath you stepped forward, out of Thranduil’s protective grasp, and lay a comforting hand on her arm.

“No, _mellon_ ,” you said resolutely, giving her a small, encouraging smile as you smoothed her disheveled hair. “Your Kili will not die. We’re going to save him.”

Tauriel’s jaw slackened as she looked into your eyes, her own misted with tears. “You will help me?”

You nodded. “I will.”

“As will I.” The voice spoke from behind you, and you turned to see Legolas, Thranduil’s only son, walking past his father to stand with you and Tauriel. 

The look of hurt and bewilderment on your lover’s face as he was confronted with this most personal of mutinies pierced you, and you spoke quietly. “Forgive me, _meleth nín_.” The endearment, likely spoken for the last time, was bittersweet in your mouth. “I must go where my conscience compels me.”

Legolas’ hand cupped your elbow, guiding you away to follow Tauriel. The three of you went to your task, breaking into a run as you left the gate of the broken city, and the wind whipped your tears in cold rivulets across your cheeks.

* * *

In the end, your only regret was that your first arrow struck the pale orc in the shoulder rather than the neck, as you’d intended. Still, it had been enough to loosen his grip on the young dwarf he held aloft, taunting the dwarves’ King with the prospect of the lad’s death. 

You and Legolas had answered Tauriel’s desperate cries, the three of you fighting ferociously to overpower the foul creature that had Kili at its mercy, and Kili had joined the dwarf you’d saved with your arrow shot to help the King, the one called Oakenshield, dispatch the Defiler.

Now, you leaned wearily against the wall in the warren of tunnels that penetrated Ravenhill, your discarded armor fouled with orcs’ blood and your temple damp with your own, and watched as Tauriel and Kili had their joyful reunion in earnest. They stood together on the landing at the summit of the stone tower, and their beaming faces, tender kisses, and murmurs of sweet words brought an irresistible smile to your face as you looked on from a distance.

“They love each other.”

He had approached so quietly that you weren’t aware of his presence until he spoke. Thranduil’s face was pale and dirtied, his expression shaken, and he looked past you with glassy eyes, fixing his gaze on the happy couple beyond. 

You turned your attention back to Tauriel and Kili. “Yes.” After a moment’s silence, you faced him, dropping your eyes humbly to the stony ground. “My King, I am prepared to face the consequences of my actions. Whether exile or imprisonment, I shall accept it willingly from your hand.”

He reached tentatively with his fingertips to lift your chin and looked into your face, staring at you with a helplessness in his eyes that you’d never seen there. “I have seen the deaths of my people, and I may never again look upon the face of my son,” he said heavily. “How am I to endure losing you?” 

Closing the distance between you, you put your arms around him, feeling the chill of his armor through your tunic as he clung to you, bending to bury his face in your shoulder. His body trembled with unspent sobs, and you stroked his hair soothingly, pressing your lips gently to his cheek.

At last, he raised his head, taking your face into his hands to look with concern at your wounds, kiss your forehead, give you a wan smile before drawing you into his arms again. You had closed your eyes, thankful beyond measure, when you felt him suddenly tense. Quickly looking up, you found him focused on something behind you, and turned to see Tauriel and Kili approaching.

Releasing Thranduil, you moved to embrace your friend, thanks and encouragement passing wordlessly between you, and stood back to smile at her, your heart full with her happiness. “I wish you joy, _mellon_ ,” you said, adding, with a look over her shoulder at Kili, “both of you.”

The dwarf looked by turns surprised and pleased, and grinned at you, and you found he had the sort of smile that made you feel that you had become friends when once he had bestowed it upon you. They glanced uneasily at Thranduil and turned to go.

“Tauriel,” he spoke hesitantly, and she stopped, Kili clasping her hand with a wary eye on Thranduil as she faced him. Thranduil’s eyes flickered to the ground before meeting hers. “You have a home in my kingdom, should you wish to return.”

“I thank you, my lord,” she answered, her gaze meeting Kili’s, who beamed at her, “but I believe my place is here.”

Thranduil bowed his head, placing his hand on his chest before gracefully extending it toward her, and Tauriel returned the salutation. With an affectionate smile and a grateful clasp of your arm, she walked with Kili into the tunnels to return to the valley floor.

Side by side, you and Thranduil made the same journey through the dimly lit maze of passages, and as you reached the bottom of the tower, he stopped you with a gentle hand on your arm, pausing to stand with you in a shaft of wintry sunshine that glowed through a rift in the stone. 

“ _Meleth_ …I would have done with hiding,” he ventured. “If we love, let us love in the light, for all to see.”

“Shall you not be ashamed of my station?” you asked quietly.

“Never,” he vowed. “And I shall strive not to make you ashamed of my character.”

With a small smile, you nodded. “A new beginning.”

“It is my dearest hope.”

You sighed and gazed up into his crystal-blue eyes, reaching to lay your hand on his cheek. “ _Le melin_ , Thranduil,” you said solemnly.

He leaned into your touch, placing his hand over yours. “ _Le melin_ , my starlight.”

You moved nearer to him, bringing your other hand to cradle his face as you kissed him, his lips eager for yours, his embrace grown strong and sure as he held you close in his arms. After the kiss dissolved into a gentle caress of your nose with his, an exchange of hopeful, promising glances, you lay your head on his shoulder reassuringly, feeling his lips pressed to the crown of your head. 

When at last you parted, he offered you his hand, and with a smile you took it, and together you walked out of the cold darkness of the tunnel and into the light.


End file.
